Hospital Beds
by Oozey67
Summary: [AU] When Hiccup and Guy end up in a hospital room together, they're less than friends. They don't even know each other. But when each receives a life changing injury, will they pull everyone down with them or support each other all the way up? Slow beginning, probably accidental OOC, Big 4 w/ Guy, some Merida/Jack Frost. First try at fanfiction, beware if you dare.
1. The Lake

**A/N: So, guys, this is my first fanfic! :D Ta-da! The original story was way different than this but during the writing process, things just got a bit jumbled. So, here we are! Review? Help me get better? Pleaaase? c:**

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**Chapter 1: The Lake**

"I'm sorry. I told you before. I know, I know, I just can't do it anymore. No, it's not all about me. Astrid, calm down. Just...Okay, I get it. Fine." Without waiting for a response, he ended the phone call and sat back down. Hiccup had sat in his tree house for hours, trying to get away from the Christmas party. Lucky for him, hiding in the woods was easy, especially when nobody wanted to find him.

The party used to be Hiccup's favorite part about the holidays. Laughing around the fire with his family and friends, drinking sparkling grape juice and eating pumpkin pie. The table would be set for a holiday dinner, the candles lit, the house full of cheer. Hiccup's mother would pass around gifts for everyone and they'd sing Christmas carols throughout the night. It was the kind of place people wanted to be, the perfect kind.

But, as always, perfect things never last long. They moved away from their little home in the suburbs the year she was diagnosed. "Cancer," the doctor's would say, "but it can be treated." Except his mother didn't want treatment. So Stoick picked up his family and isolated them out in some country town called Berk. It'd be easier to avoid the drama that way.

Hiccup remembered his mother as the epitome of love and comfort, while his father was strict yet hearty. After she passed away, Hiccup rarely spoke to his father. Mentioning her death was like pointing out an obvious flaw to someone; they know it's there but don't usually want to talk about it.

This was the first year since that Hiccup's father had hosted the party again. Stoick had made friend's at his new work and invited their distant neighbors out for the party. Attempting to cheer up Hiccup, Stoick invited his brother Fergus and all of his family. Some well-known families from Berk could come as well, but they were the elite of the town and probably wouldn't accept.

Hiccup didn't want to go anyway. Spending a special day with a bunch of strangers wasn't how Christmas was supposed to be. He'd be perfectly happy to hang out in his tree house with Toothless as his company. He was used to it anyway, why was this time any different?

The boy and his cat had found the tree house out in the woods three years back. Built sturdily and blending in with the tree's, it became a beacon of hope in his lonely life. In the fall Hiccup would bring blankets out there for when the snow began to fall. In the spring and summer he would read and draw. Without any friends living nearby, Hiccup gained no social skills and instead became apathetic towards the world.

His mother was a memory, his father was a shadow, and everyone else was a stranger. His last friend from his old town was Astrid, and they rarely spoke. When they did, it ended with Hiccup hanging up in defeat. She was making new friends, he was certain, and soon she'd want nothing to do with him. Nobody else did, so why would she?

At school Hiccup alienated himself. Things were different out in the country and he didn't understand their trends. The style was odd, the slang was confusing, and everyone was already such a tight-knit community that couldn't be entered. Being the new kid didn't automatically make someone a target, but rather made him or her an outcast. Unless said new kid joined a clique, they were shunned until they left.

When they first moved here, Hiccup's mother was still alive. After she'd passed away, the entire school became completely sympathetic to the point of being sickening. No one had even known she was dying because no one had asked. The pity stayed for a week. But people got over it and soon Hiccup was invisible. No longer shunned but certainly not let in.

This continued for years, and occasionally another new student would show up. They became Hiccup's friend temporarily, but most eventually got melded in or moved away again.

Looking outside the tree house door, Hiccup could barely see the glow from his house. The snow drifted down, sometimes blowing into the room. This tree house didn't have a trapdoor entrance, but one of those vertical holes in the wall. Once there had been a door there but the hinges were rusty and broken. It was just a slight inconvenience.

Wrapping his blanket around him, with Toothless nestled by his side, Hiccup shuffled back to the far corner. Out of the wind, he turned his flashlight on and began to read his latest finding: How to Speak Dragonese. It was the third book in a series he'd never heard of, but Hiccup didn't mind too much. Sometimes order didn't matter.

At the Christmas party, Stoick was laughing cheerfully at something his brother had said. The other guests mingled or munched on whatever was laid out on the buffet. In the front room, a group of teenagers congregated.

First there were the kids of one of the prestigious families in Berk: Rapunzel and her little brother Jack. They were the most popular, the most attractive, and the most sporty, but certainly not the brightest. Jack was recently going through a rebellious stage and his sister surprising supported him. When Jack dyed his hair bright white, their step-mother threw a fit that was extremely entertaining.

The other two weren't from around there, both just tagging along with their parents to the party. One called himself Guy and had just moved to Berk with his Uncle, a co-worker of Stoick's.

The other was Fergus's daughter Merida. She showed up wearing a frilly dress but as soon as her mother joined the other adults, she snuck off and changed into casual clothes.

The four had gotten relatively comfortable around each other but still kept their distance. Small talk was sometimes forced but most of the time they told each other stories. There were some adventures, other about the future, and even some fantasy and fairy tales. Rapunzel teared up at especially emotional moments and Jack and Guy would crack up at hidden innuendos.

Finally they ran out of ideas and couldn't decide what to do. Merida was the first to speak up. "We could go explore the woods? I know it's cold, but we don't have to be out there long. Maybe Hiccup would want to go too." They'd tried to avoid talking about Hiccup, knowing he was probably hiding and it wouldn't do any good to try to find him.

"Maybe, but wouldn't it be a little rude to, um, barge in and stuff?" Guy trailed off, not too fond of getting to meet new people. "We could just go out for a little while and if it's fine we can come back and get him." Jack and Rapunzel both nodded so Merida reluctantly agreed.

They told their parents where they were going and the four of them set off. Jack and Rapunzel began a snowball fight with Merida caught in the crossfire. Guy stood back and snickered until he took a face full of snow. The battle was now on.

It was girls against guys at they raced through the trees, dodging the snowballs and trying not to slip. Merida dived forward and pushed over Jack, both of them tumbling into a snowdrift. "Hey, no fair. Everyone knows Jack can't fight off a girl," Guy called, failing to fake a frown.

Off in the distance, Hiccup scrambled down from the tree house. He could see the four of them making their way closer and didn't want to be seen. Back in the tree house he'd stopped reading to take a trip down memory lane and that was always a depressing time.

Toothless clambered down after him and Hiccup scooped him up from the deep snow. Glancing over his shoulder, the lonesome boy hurried away from the tree house and went south, parallel to the house. He could make a circle, hurry home, slip inside and run up to his room.

"Hey, Hiccup! Is that you?" He froze. Merida was walking towards him with the others right behind. Seeing Jack and Rapunzel, Hiccup took a step back. Why would they be here? They were the popular kids; they couldn't see him like this! Turning around sharply, with a howl of protest from Toothless, Hiccup began running through the snow. It was like running through water or sand, never an easy task.

Merida looked back at the other three. "I'm not sure why he's running, but that definitely was Hiccup." She frowned slightly and continued towards him. "Maybe he's just scared of strangers." Rapunzel and Jack exchanged confused glances, Guy trailing behind.

Hiccup was panting, desperately clinging onto Toothless despite the cat's clawing. The snow flew into his vision and blinded him but he kept running out of embarrassment and fear. "Hiccup! Wait up!" Merida's voice was barely audible over the wind and Hiccup disappeared from her sight into a grove of evergreens.

Each step felt heavier. An ominous crack came from behind him and Hiccup went sprawling, Toothless being thrown from his arms. Hiccup's running had cracked the ice of the lake, hidden by the snow. The ground flew up and the water rushed up around him and instantly began numbing his body.

He laid halfway in the lake, his right side clinging to the ice. "M-Merida?" He yelled, dizzy and startled. Toothless was crying by where the edge of the lake should have been. The snow kept falling and the wind kept blowing and the only reply Hiccup got was darkness.


	2. The Cold

**A/N So I know that nobody's going to read this. But I like my story and I want to write this. So I won't lose motivation. I think that for once I really just want to put something out there. For people like me, who've got nothing better to do. Or don't care if others like their work. :) Reviews would still be appreciated, if anyone would want to help me out. I'm trying to get better. Thanks!**

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**Chapter 2: The Cold**

Guy ran up just as Merida began to scream. "Hiccup! Hiccup, no, no this can't be happening!" She was shaking her head, staring out into the white mess. Not too far off was the howling of a cat, followed by frantic splashing. Guy instantly knew what was going on. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Rapunzel and Jack standing far off. They both were a bit distraught and she appeared to be comforting him. Over and over he'd glance at the lake and flinch away.

Now that he was at the edge, the darkness below the ice was visible. It was deep and it was cold. "Merida, what should we do?" He asked, already knowing the answer. There wasn't time to be afraid. The world wouldn't slow just for them. Taking a cautious step out onto the ice, Guy began removing his coat. "Here, keep these dry." Tossing his shirt, shoes and coat at her, he quickly started sliding. The ice stung his soles and the snow burned his chest. Crouching down and crawling on his hands and knees, Guy approached the hole and dive in. The ice cut at his stomach, but the water was already stained red.

Swimming was never Guy's forte. His parents had supposedly drowned at sea and he'd instinctively avoided water as much as he could. Luckily the lake wasn't too deep. Luckily Guy's hands were as numb as he thought. The further down he dove, the less he could see. The darkness was pressing in on him, as suffocating as the water. Just as his lungs felt like they ready to burst, his palm brushed against something. Admittedly, his fingers probably hit it first, but he couldn't feel them.

Grasping whatever the find was, hoping to all that was good it was Hiccup, Guy heaved upwards as hard as he could. Pushing it above him, the boy felt water enter his mouth. For a moment, the only thought he had was how unsanitary that was. Then they broke the surface.

The object he'd found was indeed Hiccup. A very cold, very pale Hiccup, but a Hiccup nonetheless. Hauling him onto the ice, Guy saw the blood first. Pouring from his leg into the white surroundings. He felt the numbing water next, how his hair froze in the air above. How his ears were basically gone. A throbbing came from his stomach but ignoring that, Guy flopped onto the ice by Hiccup. It cracked threateningly, and despite Guy's anxiety over whether or not Hiccup was alive, they needed to move. Fast.

He pushed Hiccup ahead of him once again, then would weakly scoot after him. The ice behind him was streaked with blood, but he could tell if it was even his. Merida and Rapunzel tentatively grabbed Hiccup as soon as they could, easing Guy of the burden. As Rapunzel check Hiccup's vitals in the snow, Merida helped guy onto the shore. "Here, put these on." She ordered, handing him back his shirt, coat and shoes. Guy hissed in pain at the cold, the adrenaline leaving him. He pulled his shirt on, then followed with his coat.

The shoes were going to be a problem. Guy's feet were wet and he'd cut one on the ice. Forcing one boot on, he groaned in pain. Embarrassingly enough, Merida had to help him with the other. He lay back in the snow, weary waves washing over him. "That was NOT a smart move."

Rapunzel urged Merida over. "We've got to get him inside. He can't stay out here soaked like this." She whispered now and Guy didn't quite catch what they said. He had tried standing up and the blood was rushing in his ears. The snow mixed with the stars he was seeing and Guy toppled forward. Rapunzel and Merida turned toward him but made no move to help. Between there arms was an unconscious Hiccup.

"Guy, can you walk? We, um, we need your help." Rapunzel explained quietly. "Merida and I can't carry him far." The red head nodded in agreement. Guy coughed harshly but stood back up anyway. The land was tilting still but it wasn't as bad as before.

"I can carry him. Maybe. But not for too long. Here, give him my coat." Guy took off his the faux fur and slumped his shoulders. He could feel them aching from the cold. He was way in over his head. As Rapunzel and Merida helped get Hiccup onto Guy's back, he looked around again. "Anyone know where Jack got to?"

Rapunzel nodded. "He's getting help. He said that he needed to get away from the lake." Guy shot her a confused look and she sighed. "I'll have to explain later. We kind of have an emergency!" Rushing Guy along urgently, they started trekking back through the snow. Slowly but soon enough, Jack emerged from the blinding white. Guy lifted his head, about to collapse, when he noticed the paramedics following Jack.

His knees shook and his legs were frozen from the lake but Guy kept standing until they'd lifted Hiccup off of his back. Seconds later, he promptly fell into the snow, all his energy gone. The paramedics rushed Hiccup away, leaving the four of them behind. Jack reached down and pulled Guy to his feet, only to have the boy fall over again. They finally got Guy standing (or leaning, your choice) between Merida and Jack for support.

Hobbling toward the small house, the quartet remained silent. Aside from Guy, only able to perceive pain at the moment, everyone was lost in their thoughts.

Merida was scared. Scared she'd lose a cousin, that Stoick would blame her and the others. Despite never being very close to Hiccup, Merida enjoyed his company when he would allow it. She'd never thought he'd run from her and certainly didn't think that disaster would strike.

Jack on the other hand was furious. How could he not see it before? This was his fault. He'd indirectly tormented the kid at school, starting up rumors and telling everyone to stay away from him. It wasn't Hiccup's fault, Jack had just been having a bit of fun. But he should've known how Hiccup would react as soon as Merida mentioned him. He'd run from Jack just like he ran from everyone else. And the ice, he'd fallen through the ice...

Rapunzel wasn't nearly as morbid. She thought that Hiccup would be fine. After all, she'd given him CPR and everything and made sure he wasn't completely dead, right? So that meant he had to be fine. Rapunzel had never been mean to Hiccup, unlike Jack, but instead didn't even know he existed. Once she saw his face, she only recognized him vaguely. He was the kid that people murmured about, that people had never really talked to but all claimed that they knew someone who had. He was that nobody.

The house stood in front of them, about 10 yards away. Running up the hill, nearly slipping a few times, the four of them reached the back door. Merida burst into the mudroom, practically dragging Guy in with her. "Stoick!" She called, hoping for an answer. Instead, her father appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Merida! We were so worried about you! I mean, your mother was. I knew you could handle it." The man shook his head a bit. "Stoick's out at the ambulance. The paramedics and him are discussing while stabilizing Hiccup's condition." He gestured toward the front of the house.

Jack and Rapunzel stumbled in right then, both a bit muddled. They looked up at the enormous man in front of them in fear. "Sir, we, um, we need your help." Muttered Jack, still a little shaken. Suddenly, Fergus seemed to see the injured kid in front of him.

Guy took the opportunity to cough, not fully conscious and fading fast. He wasn't responsive when the ambulance left.


	3. The Flames

**A/N: Wow! So I have 3 reviews! c: I was seriously thrilled to see them, even if they were kind of short. They make me happeh. I'll try to update every Thursday at least, possibly more depending on how much time I have. This chapter is really long for me, I even printed it out and tried to edit it the best I could. That was a whole buttload of work I tell ya.**

**Also, I know some things in this story seem really weird. I have odd couples and characters that "randomly" appear, but I'm trying to make it all come together. This was harder than I thought it would be. XD But now the story can actually pick up in the hospital! And yes, the characters are a little OOC. Okay, very OOC. I'm sorry! If you have any tips on how to make them more in character, share them? :3**

**So yeah, check Thursday for an update! Thursday is a good day to update. Because yes.**

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**Chapter Three: The Flames**

When Guy woke up, Rapunzel and Jack were gone. The morning sun was filtering in through the windows and Guy blinked sleepily several times. Where was he? He tried to sit up but was struck by a stinging in his stomach and fell back onto the pillows. Guy slowly rolled over, trying hard to not bend at the waist. Trying to slide off the bed and to his hands and knees, he fell face first instead.

"AGH! Where am I?" He winced, struggling to his feet. Leaning against the wall, Guy slowly examined the room. There was a soft knocking at the door and Guy turned around, nearly falling over again. "Um, hello?"

"Hello? Guy? Can I come in?" A familiar girl's voice was on the other side. Scottish. The door opened a crack and a red-head appeared from the hallway. Suddenly the past night's events rushed back to him. Guy stumbled forward and landed on his knees, the agony of his stomach overwhelming him and stars flitting by the edges of his vision.

Merida rushed over to him and knelt down. "Calm down, are you alright? You're going to hurt yourself." She sighed and gingerly helped him up. "Lucky your scrapes didn't open again."

Guy incoherently mumbled, clutching his injuries. "Where am I? Is-is this a hospital?" No, he knew it wasn't. He was clearly in a teenager's room. Drawings taped to the walls, cluttered bookshelves, a messy desk, and piles of clothing on the floor.

"This is, um, Hiccup's room. You- don't you remember anything?" Merida asked, honestly puzzled. After a slight nod and an anxious expression, she gently took his arm, leading Guy out of the room. As they made their way downstairs, Merida explained what had happened after he had lost consciousness.

It was actually a little past noon, not the morning after all. Guy had passed out as soon as they reached the living room the night before. Fergus and the others decided that his sores weren't harmful enough for a trip to the hospital but that Guy shouldn't be moved until the next day. Guy's uncle reluctantly agreed, wanting nothing more than to leave. Jack and Rapunzel were taken home as soon as their parents could make them leave. Merida and Fergus stayed the night to keep an eye on things, but the rest of their family returned home.

There was no new word on Hiccup's condition. He had been alive but unconscious when the ambulance left, having lost a lot of blood. The doctors barely stabilized his condition and had no sign of him waking up. No sign of anything, really. The nurse had hesitated before telling them the survival rates. At best, low. Very low.

Merida abruptly stopped and refused to say anything else. Guy nodded, not sure if he even wanted to know the details. When they reached the kitchen, Stoick was seated at the table, his face in his hands. Weary was a good word to describe him at that moment, if not quite mournful. The man had already lost so much, after all. He lifted his head for a moment, muttering a simple, "Oh, it's you."

Guy cautiously followed Merida into the kitchen and sat in the chair she gestured to. "Any news?" She asked Stoick, not really expecting an answer. Hiccup's father shook his head and went back to staring at the table. Guy said nothing, wanting to be anywhere but there.

The rest of the day was uncomfortable. They all made small talk but avoided mentioning the incident. Rapunzel called late in the afternoon, wondering if there was any change Hiccup's condition. Stoick looked more than annoyed but allowed Merida to quietly explain. Guy wondered if she really cared or if it was just polite concern.

In the evening, Guy's uncle came back to collect him. The three adults, Fergus now back from business in the town, conferred with each other. Merida and Guy held their own little meeting, sitting in the hallway outside Hiccup's room. It felt wrong to intrude the boy's space, even if it was the Merida's cousin. She nodded in understanding.

"Do you think- do you think I should go visit him?" Guy asked, guilt flashing across his face. "I mean, it is kind of my fault that he's in there-"

"You saved his life. It's your fault he's _alive._ And that's a good thing." She added weakly, giving a weak smile. "I think you should visit if you want to. I'm sure Stock... I don't think he'd mind. There's just no telling i- when he'll wake up."

A short sigh was followed by an awkward silence. Awkward for Guy, at least. He stood up and started toward the stairs but Merida stepped in his way. "Wait! I just, I wanted to say thank you. I mean, Hiccup's not much, but he's still my family."

Guy shrugged, trying to avoid the spotlight. "It's what anyone would have done. I just got there first." What a cliché line, huh? He mentally winced at his own words before Merida continued.

"And, um, my father says that we might be moving to Berk now. Just to be with Stoick. In case, ya know..." She didn't finish the sentence and certainly didn't need to.

The duo silently agreed to drop the subject. Upon returning the to the first floor, they were promptly told that it was time to leave. Merida and Guy parted with a friendly hug, wished each other a happy holiday, and went their separate ways with their respective guardians.

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So life went on and nothing unexpected happened. Winter break ended and Merida moved to Berk in early January. Her brother's were more than thrilled, having new neighbors to torment. Sometimes at school, Guy and Merida would chat a bit, but never for too long. Hiccup still didn't wake up. There was the occasional recovery, followed by a relapse into critical state. Something was being hidden from him, but Guy couldn't figure out what it was and decided it unwise to push.

Jack pretended like Guy didn't exist. He never mentioned the Christmas party, and while no bullying came from him directly, the school now shunned Guy for being the _new _new kid. Merida shared his status at first but soon Rapunzel's circle of friends opened up for her. Rapunzel and the Scot got along fine, and even Jack spoke to Merida sometimes, though never about her absent cousin.

In the middle of January, Guy made his first new friend. She was quiet and not really extraordinary in any way, but she didn't ignore him like everybody else. He'd first met her in his Chemistry class before she had to drop it so she could change her schedule. Despite not having any classes together, the pair got along fairly well and sometimes sat together at lunch. She tried introducing Guy to her small group of friends, but he politely rejected the offer to spare her the ridicule.

At the beginning of February, Guy realized he hadn't caught her name yet though she probably said at school sometimes. In fact, he hardly knew anything about her. They never talked about anything personal, only school. All he remembered was that she liked purple and wanted to be normal. Honestly, talking to him wasn't helping that last part.

Guy had intended to ask her to the Valentine's dance that was coming up, but now his plan was ruined. How was he supposed to invite her if he didn't even know her name? The boy inwardly groaned in embarrassment.

At lunch the next day, exactly a week before the dance, he decided he'd ask her anyway. It's not like he had a crush on her, so getting rejected wouldn't be a big deal. As the girl came over and sat across from him, Guy smiled nervously.

"Are you alright?" She asked, glancing up at him. He fidgeted under her gaze.

"Yeah. Well, I mean, um, I was just wondering..." Guy paused, trying to form a coherent sentence. The girl raised an eyebrow and Guy cleared his throat. "W-would you, uh, like to go to the dance? With me?" He tried to make it sound casual but his voice cracked with tension anyway. She looked across the table, a bit surprised.

"I, uh, I'd love to go with you-" Guy's face lit up, "-but-" and fell again, "someone's already asked me. Tony, actually." The girl forced out a small laugh and pretended to study the table, avoiding his hurt expression. "I'm sorry."

Guy said nothing as his only friend got up and left him. He didn't mind really. At least he'd tried, right? Still, the rest of the day crawled by in a gloomy haze and as Guy headed home, he couldn't help but wonder what the others were doing for Valentine's day. He considered-

No. Nevermind. What a way to spend a holiday, cooped up in a hospital with Merida and an unconscious patient. That was when Guy decided, yes, he was going to that dance. To prove to all those trying to block him out that it wasn't going to be easy. He was going to the Valentine's dance, alone if he must.

The weekend was dull and the week was bland, punctuated only by brainless talk of the dance. The girl had stopped sitting with Guy. In fact, he hadn't seen her since that day. It was like she had turned invisible or something. More than once the boy thought about asking someone else to the dance like Rapunzel or Merida, not because he_ liked_ them either, but just didn't know any other girls.

No such luck, he didn't even try. Friday had come at last, the flood of plans for the weekend suffocating him. The dance, the parties after the dance. The parties after the parties after the dance. Even the 'losers' who didn't get invited to the parties were making plans with their friends. _Friends. _Boy, did Guy loathe that word now. Who knew being the new kid was so tough?

Oh, right. Hiccup knew how he felt. And now he was in the hospital because high school was not a fun experience and social anxiety didn't help. Was Guy going to end up like Hiccup?

No. Because Guy was going to the dance. Throughout the school day Guy had told himself, _I won't give up and I won't run away. Tomorrow will be better. Because I'm Guy and I'm going to a Valentine's dance,_ and despite positive thinking, he sometimes added 'alone' at the end. Several times he wanted to back out, but the time had arrived at last and he knew he would go.

Picking out the only somewhat formal clothing he had, Guy stared at himself in the mirror. The brightly lit bedroom glowed as bright as the sun, causing the reflection to show merely a silhouette. He shook his head, trying to ignore the anxious feeling deep in his stomach. It wasn't the usual butterflies, it was more like a writhing knot of snakes, heavy and cold and sickening. Guy sighed, fearing that something was going to go horribly wrong. He pushed these thoughts away though, because instincts weren't always right. Just usually.

Preparing to leave, Guy took a quick shower and brushed his teeth. He laced up his boots, hoping nobody would notice they were his only pair of shoes. Fortunately they matched his black dress pants and the checkered bow tie he didn't want to wear. His shirt was a brilliant golden-orange, much like a fire. Guy knew he looked ridiculous, but it was the closest he had ever come to looking 'dapper'. He owned no Valentine's day colors, but they would clash inharmoniously with his tan anyway.

Guy's uncle hurried him into the car and the apprehension increased. His legs bounced restlessly and he kept trying to fix his unruly hair in the mirror with no positive results. The closer their arrival was, the worse Guy felt.

The Valentine's dance was at a local park near the middle of the town square. There was the ice rink and food vendors and those funny little barrels with fires inside to keep adventurous souls warm. The dancing part itself was held inside the recreational center of the park, next to the ice rink.

Guy approached the doors, his knees shaking. Jack and Rapunzel would definitely be here, and possibly Merida as well. His mysterious friend already claimed she was going too. No, he couldn't do this. _I'll just turn around and call my uncle and-_

"Guy! Is that you?" A familiar Scottish voice called and he turned to see Merida looking up at him. "I didn't think you were coming."

Guy shrugged, his face revealing his uncertainty. "Well, um, I don't exactly have a date. Even I wasn't sure until tonight." _Right now._

"Yeah, I don't have one either. I don't even really want to go inside. Dancing and dresses aren't always my thing." The red-head gestured over to one of the fire-barrels. "We could just hang outside and talk if you want"

Guy nodded and the tense atmosphere lifted. "Yeah. That, um, that sounds...fun." They moved away from the building's light, making Guy a bit jittery, but once they reached the fire everything was back to normal. Better, actually.

At first they only talked about simple things like school and homework and books. Eventually, inevitably, the conversation turned towards Hiccup and the hospital. He'd had surgery in January, the doctors having waited as long as they could. They were confident that they could save his leg but they couldn't be sure the nerves were working correctly. Hiccup still hadn't woken up but he was more responsive than before.

"Well, um, that's progress. Has anyone gone to visit him?" Guy asked, looking across the fire at Merida. Her face seemed calm but he thought he saw a troubled gaze flicker across it. Or maybe it was just him.

"No one so far, just family. Stoick's been pretty distraught and protective about the whole ordeal." She was about to say something else when the doors of the recreational center burst open. Out ran two guys, laughing and chasing each other around.

"Come on, Aster, got any game?" Taunted Jack, dashing toward the fire where Guy and Merida stood. He stopped and posed arrogantly.

The older boy roared humorously in reply. "Your sister's not here to save you now, Frosty!" Both of them began a friendly wrestling match, despite their formal clothing.

They came closer and closer and Guy became bothered. Merida apparently found great amusement in their game though, so he didn't want to drag her away.

Jack suddenly broke away from the horseplay and jumped to his feet. He stuck his tongue out at Aster, a senior Guy didn't recognize, and sprinted toward them. As he ran, Jack impulsively glanced back over his shoulder and crashed right into an unsuspecting Guy. The two of them tumbled over, but Jack attempted to catch himself on the barrel.

Of course, it was only an attempt. Jack still fell over and managed to pull the fire over with him too. Guy, still dazed, was barely aware of the situation. He turned his shaken head and saw Jack scrambling to his feet and backing away. Looking to the other side and growing increasingly confused, he heard Merida scream.

That's when he felt it like a sharp gnawing on his chest. The flames had caught Guy and began burning through his shirt. Aster, who was now present, yelled out to Guy, "Take off the shirt, mate!" But it too late. The cotton ignited and Guy's torso was now on fire. He cried, embarrassingly enough to him, but he couldn't think about doing anything else. He couldn't think at all. The others had begun to shovel snow on top of him, too scared to get close, but it did little to quell the flames.

Guy didn't remember the fire finally going out or being soaked in snow and sweat. He didn't hear the paramedics rush over or Jack's pained voice about it being his fault. He didn't smell the blood or smoke or sour hospital odor. The last thing he could think of was _orange_. The color of his shirt.

The color of flames.


	4. The Dream

**A/N: Geez! Okay, sorry guys, I almost fell behind. Honestly, it's very typical of me to miss a deadline that I set, especially_ right after I set it_. Which is the most important one. I'm already started on chapter 5, though, and I know that this is going very...slow. I'm sorry. :c I'm trying to make the story start speeding up but...nope. It's not easy for me to do, and I really need to work on that. Also, if I _do_ fall behind again, and I probably will, it's likely that my history class is killing me. Or English class. Life in general.**

**Anyway, this chapter was hardly edited and wasn't even exactly planned. But I was going to do something like this soon anyway in the story, so here you go! c:**

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**Chapter 4: The Dream**

Hiccup remembered nothing. Neither who nor where he was. Not even how he came to be in that spot. In fact, there was simply nowhere _to_ be. Stumbling around in the dark, in the cold and pain. The silence was deafening, or the noise so great that nothing distinct could be heard apart from it. Hiccup felt utterly lost, as though trapped in a void. The air (was there air?) felt chilly and tense, the ground was too soft and seemed to sink with every step. As the boy moved forward, or what he _thought_ was forward, the darkness became darker and the cold became colder. There was no light. There was no happiness, no emotion at all, and no pain. Until, suddenly, there was.

It shot through his legs and up his spine, quickly taking over his body. The boy would have fallen if he could, but there was no falling in this world. Colors spun at Hiccup from the darkness, like after thoughts of some life. He stared at them, trembling in awe. They rapidly took shape and transformed into recognizable images. Was this his life, flashing before his eyes?

One picture drew closer, soon engulfing the boy. He panicked and tried to pinch himself to wake up, but when he looked down he saw nothing where his body should be. The pain also ceased, at least for a while. Movement in the colors around Hiccup grabbed his attention and he tried to focus on what was happening, but everything was too foggy and numbing, similar to feeling sleep deprived.

Hiccup focused harder, concentrating on the blur. The shape of a woman walking appeared, and while the rest of the image was fine, the face would not stay still. It warped and changed, and the harder Hiccup tried to see it, the faster the face warped. Sometimes it looked like Astrid, or his father, or even Merida. But Hiccup was sure it was his mother, nobody else looked like that. Nobody else held the same cheerful and strong demeanor that she did.

He realized then that he was Hiccup. Funny, how people can remember everyone around them without knowing who they are themselves.

She reached for him, but as the boy tried to reach her too, he still saw nothing.

The pain came back.

Hiccup blinked and the images were gone. His mother was gone as well. Doubled over, Hiccup tried to think of something else, something cheerful. But he felt like he could never be cheerful again. It was a terrifying realization.

He took a step backwards and the pain slightly faded. Another step. Eventually, the agony was bearable and the boy was close to where he had woken up.

Wait, had he woken up? Hiccup wondered if he was even asleep, or if his entire life had really all been nothingness and he'd convinced himself that there was something more. That he had created his own world around him. This thought worried the boy more, so he chose instead that he had simply fallen asleep. And had no way of waking up.

The darkness seemed to rock, as much as darkness can, and Hiccup felt a falling sensation in hit stomach. The kind that comes from roller coasters or tripping down the stairs, but with less exhilaration.

He fell into a winter landscape. It was just after the sun had set, based on the thin yellow haze that stretched across the clear sky. The snow wasn't freshly fallen, but there were no footprints marring it either. Hiccup glanced down where his feet should have been, seeing nothing, not even indents in the snow. Deciding that it was more useful to at least adventure and not just stand there, he cautiously took a few steps. Nothing bad happened after the first few, so he took a few more.

Soon he was walking like he normally would, occasionally tripping over his own feet.

Surprisingly, the snow and cold didn't bother him. Here he truly_ did _feel nothing, apart from his limbs moving and the ground below him. Hiccup was shortly surrounded by trees, most of them some sort of evergreen, and he felt almost at home in them. Of course, had he remembered, he would have realized that it _was _his home.

An owl hooted nearby and Hiccup jumped. Following its call, he knew that it wouldn't fly away when he drew near because it simply didn't know he was there. Did it?

Just before he reached the clearing where the owl hooted, Hiccup came across a small lake. It gave him a feeling of dread that seemingly came from within, as though it had been nestled there some time ago in a distant world. He shook off the feeling and tentatively took a step forward onto the ice. It was thin, but no cracks appeared. _Right_. For a moment Hiccup forgot that he didn't really exist. Sliding across the surface, the boy tried to have fun and spin a little, landing flat on his face.

Luckily it didn't hurt. Scanning the area, Hiccup realized that he'd gotten too close to the center of the pond. He tried several times to trying to stand up, but each resulted in another crash. Scooting toward the far side on his butt, the boy noticed a hole in the ice. He approached it, this time moving across the ice without caution. Hiccup stared into the dark water and something in the back of his mind told him to leave immediately. Subconsciously, he reached forward to touch the glassy surface.

And it rippled.

Faster than before, Hiccup slid away from the cracked ice. Suddenly the entire clearing seemed foreboding and all he wanted to do was run. Shakily, he stood up as fast as he could without toppling over. Hiccup had only taken a few steps when he heard it.

_Thump._

A few seconds passed before he heard it again, getting closer. _Thump, thump. _Against his will, Hiccup's body turned around. Watching the ice, he saw something pale moving beneath it. The thumping grew loud and more urgent. Forcing his eyes shut, the boy tried to take a step, but his balance was terribly off without sight.

Hiccup hit the ice, willing his eyes to stay closed, willing himself to not look. Willing himself not to _see_.

But, alas, his careful half was pushed aside by the other half of him, the half of curiosity and naïvety.

The boy nearly fainted at what he saw. He forced himself not to scream. Under the water was a pale face, with small freckles and dark hair. Under the water were blue lips and brown eyes, and reaching hands that banged against the ice. They pounded and pounded but never broke through.

Under the water was Hiccup.

Watching himself plead for rescue, growing weaker and weaker under the water, the Hiccup on the ice was paralyzed. Finally, the other Hiccup was out of sight. Into the depths of the pond, into a cold and dark and murky world.

The darkness came back in flashes at first as Hiccup just stared at the ice. The intervals became shorter and suddenly there was nothing again. Just the damp, black world.

Hiccup cried. And Hiccup screamed. He thrashed around on the ground that wasn't ground and he scratched at his face that wasn't there.

Finally, he submitted to the misery and darkness of his new home.

And Hiccup woke up.


	5. The Roommate

**A/N: I gave up for a while on this. I guess I just lost motivation? This chapter's been finished for quite a few weeks. It was done the next Friday after the last chapter I posted so… I don't know. I was sucked into the Avengers and Harry Potter fandoms **_**again**_**. So it's been pretty exciting, just not productive. But my spring break starts today so hopefully I'll work on it for the next few weeks.**

**Chapter 5: The Roommate**

The hospital in the city of Corona was overflowing, patients sick or injured or paranoid that they _would_ get sick or injured. Cars crashed left and right over the icy roads and viruses spread like toxic morning glories. The doctor's were overworked and long term patients were forced to room together despite being from different wings of the hospital. Of course, contagious people were kept away, so the patients were still generally categorized. Those simply recovering were grouped together, as were those who had terminal illnesses and others who were frequently admitted for various problems

Hiccup had been rooming with another patient suffering from a similar comatose condition. However, while his body shut down due to blood loss and hypothermia, she simply had fallen and hit her head.

The doctors usually spoke in low voices but often forgot (what with being in the "coma section" and all), and while Hiccup had to wait a few days to be moved to another area, he would unintentionally eavesdrop on their conversations.

First, they were all surprised that Hiccup had woken up. The nurses had kept up masks of optimism but were secretly mourning and wondering when his family would lose hope. At first they hadn't noticed he was awake at all. At least, not for a few minutes. Sometimes they forgot he had. Hiccup was usually quiet anyway, so it's not like there was much of a difference.

Quickly afterward, the news spread but sadly the hospital requested that his family wait until he was transferred to a different group of rooms. Hiccup never understood why — it's not like they were going to wake anybody up.

The doctor's also mentioned the story of the girl, Hiccup's roomie. She had climbed up a cliff, trying to reach a tree above the tops of the forest. Her father had called up, startling her and causing her to lose her balance. The girl fell and received a few broken limbs and a concussion with possible brain damage. Her family was shocked — she'd climbed up there many times before to see the sunset. Ironically, she was extremely _lucky_ to be in such a condition, considering she could have died instead.

Hiccup heard a last bit of information just before falling back into sleep. It was a few days after Valentine's Day. The doctors were discussing when to begin tests now that Hiccup was out of his coma. As Hiccup dozed off, he could only ask himself, _Why would they need to do tests? I feel fine; I'm just going through shock…_

The nurses had moved Hiccup when he'd been asleep. It was one of the strangest things they had done so far in the hospital, aside from bringing the comatose patients trays of food at mealtimes. It's not like they could eat anything! Besides, why not move him when he can actually see where he's going? _Maybe they secretly kidnapped me and this is a fake hospital room. _As Hiccup mused over the possibilities smirking, he perused his new room again.

Each time he noticed another subtle difference between this room and the previous one. This one tried to look a little cheery. The rooms up here seemed to be alive, humming with activity. The light was more natural and he was on a higher floor, overlooking the city. It wasn't small like Berk, but Hiccup admired it nonetheless. A friendly atmosphere existed in this space, lifting his spirits dramatically.

It was Tuesday morning, just around nine o'clock. Stoic would be at work, but he was sure that he'd come as soon as he could. Would Merida visit? The nurses said she called but she lived far away. What about Astrid? He was a bit apprehensive actually — how much had he missed? What happened while he was out? Hiccup was still struggling to accept the fact that a few months of _his_ life had passed. _Without him_.

His dreams he had while sleeping were hazy and forgotten easily, but he felt like something important had happened in one of them. The last thing Hiccup remembered from before his slumber was Jack and Rapunzel and Toothless and a lake.

Sitting up quickly enough to alarm a nearby assistant, Hiccup's eyes widened in worry. _Toothless was probably alone and missing and out in the cold and what if he froze or he fell in too or a coyote-_ A nurse was beside him in seconds, holding out a hand to him and trying to calm him down. Soon the crying wasn't even about Toothless. He wept and shook and couldn't get himself together, Hiccup just felt _miserable_.

In his meltdown, he hadn't even realized what else was going on in his room.

Guy was never in a true "coma", although the pain reliever, anesthesia, and sedatives kept him in a sleepy, drugged up state of mind. The first night he was brought in, the paramedics immediately rushed him into surgery. The fire had burned into his abdomen, damaging several internal organs.

The surgeons had to keep reapplying the sedatives, afraid to give Guy too much but actually giving him too little. Sometimes the pain burned intensely and the boy would writhe — or at least try to. When he first lashed out, his hand smacked into a surgeon's scalpel and they had to stitch up that injury too. The surgery took longer than expected but they had relatively few incidents after that.

Guy drifted in and out of consciousness over the next few days, the pain coming and going unpredictably. Sometimes it was bearable and he felt _almost_ fine. Other times it seared and itched but the nurses just told him to be careful and still. Guy grew restless lying down all time.

Guy's uncle visited him sometimes but it was usually at a time when he was sleeping or in pain. Merida tried to come once but she saw Hiccup before and was in tears on arrival, saying nothing in the brief visit. That was when Hiccup was still unresponsive.

On his fourth morning after being admitted to the hospital, Guy was able to stay awake for a decent amount of time. He concentrated on moving things, like the clock (it was an ungodly hour to be up), or machines, or the people in the hallway. It was too early for visitors to wander around, so it was usually just the staff.

A nurse came in to tell Guy that everything was healing correctly and he needn't worry. Although he still couldn't get out of bed or sit up or anything, Guy was _metaphorically_ sprinting down the road to recovery — as long as he didn't get an infection and nothing strained his internal injuries.

They were moving him into a recovery room. He breathed a sigh of relief. Glancing over at his roommate, Guy noticed a smug look playing across the other's face. _Well, now we can both be happy. _He'd been stuck with a young man who was quick to anger and quicker to monologue. Caught in an explosion, the roommate didn't look good to say the least. When Guy was awake, he had to deal with the constant annoyances — ranting about the food, complaining about the rooms, whining about pain, and mocking Guy.

Needless to say, Guy was thrilled to be moving. The nurses didn't come back until it was nearly 9:30, so the boy had to put up with his roommate's outbursts, but it helped pass the time quickly, knowing he was getting out.

It was strange being wheeled down the hallway while lying down. Guy tried not to care so much, staring at the ceiling tiles flying past. They crammed into an elevator with the gurney and the nurse began telling him about the room. It was on one of the top floors, with big windows and sunlight.

Guy grinned, more excited than he had been since Valentines Day. More excited than he'd been in a long time. As they approached the room, he heard quiet sobs echoing from the far bed. Someone was muttering things like "toothless" and "alone" and "my fault", but Guy couldn't distinguish the voice.

He wouldn't have been able to anyway, he'd never heard Hiccup speak.

Once they situated Guy in the room, the nurse informed him that his roomie was also new to this part of the hospital. It was common for patients to have panic attacks or outbursts, and to not worry too much if it happened suddenly.

"Are you sure he's alright?" Guy asked, trying to get a glimpse of his new roommate.

The nurse nodded, reflecting his concern. "Yes, he, um, he's just been through a lot lately." She opened her mouth to say something more but a voice from the hallway called her. "He'll be okay, don't worry too much kid." The lady smiled and rolled her eyes as the voice repeated its call. She offered a short goodbye before turning away.

Hiccup had recovered from crying by now, and peeked over his nurse's shoulder. There was someone else in his room. _Strangers_, Hiccup inwardly groaned, not in a social mood.

"Hope you feel better." The young man said gently, standing up. Both the boys automatically looked up (and over, Guy just turning his head), first at the nurse and then at each other.

Hiccup glared.

"Hiccup?" Guy's eyes widened.

The other boy blinked, perplexed. "How do you know who I am?"

They both just stared as the remaining medic glanced between the two. "If you, um, need anything, just call or something." He trailed off and left the room.

Despite being in the same room, the two were once again alone.


End file.
